Chapter Text
Orange rays of the setting sun glittered as they reflected on surfaces of Liyue Harbour, setting what would seem to be a calm, quiet evening atmosphere. Well, it would be were it not for the angered voices carried from an open window of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour; pained, emotionally raw tones heard easily to anyone around. Inside was the famed assistant of said parlour, none other than Zhongli. And in front of him, the 11th Fatui Harbinger- Childe. They seemed to be in some kind of heated discussion, though upon closer inspection- an argument, seemed a more accurate conclusion.
“But how could you.. lie to me?! I thought I could trust you..” Childe screamed, knuckles white as he clutched at his shirt, crystalline tears reflected in the light as they dripped slowly down his mottled cheeks.
Zhongli simply stood in place. Barely a reaction flickered across his face, other than a slight crease of his brow as he folded his arms against his chest, hands relaxed over his biceps.
“Childe, you came here to bring harm to my country. Do you really think I would have no idea? That I would let you get away with it? A laughable idea, truly.” Zhongli chuckled, shaking his head slightly. “And you think I could care for a monster like you?” He seemed unphased, still. After everything that happened.
Childe stared in disbelief.
“I thought I loved you. You just used me.” He shook his head, reaching up to wipe at his damp cheeks with the back of his hand, “I never want to see you again. Don’t ever try to find me.” He spoke, frowning slightly as he did so.
The door slammed open as Childe walked out, ignoring the quickly spoken rebuttals and excuses from the older man behind him. He simply walked to his quarters, took what he needed and headed to the bank.
“Ekaterina, I’ll be leaving for a while. Send any letters for me to the Fatui stationed in Mondstat, I need a break.. And take care of yourself. I’ll be back soon enough, alright?” He smiled as he spoke to her.
He had always enjoyed her company, she was one of the calmest, most level-headed members of the Fatui he had ever worked with. He truly appreciated her, and her level of understanding towards him. She was the closest thing he has ever had to a friend while in the ranks.
“Stay safe, Sir. I’ll be here as always if you need anything.” She gave him a soft, knowing smile as he turned to take his leave, eyes twinkling. It felt as though she knew something that he didn’t, but how could that be the case?
“Goodbye, Kat. I’ll miss you.” He muttered, pushing the tall doors of the bank open before him and taking a step into the warm, Liyue air.
To Mondstat it would be.
Diluc sighed as he gripped another tall glass in his hand, polishing the exterior of any watermarks from the wash they had been through. He currently had the loud, out of tune singing of a tavern full of drunks to listen to, led by none other than Mondstat’s very own Tone Deaf Bard, who was in fact not very tone deaf (when he was sober, that is). And to top it all off, his estranged brother had picked this evening as the perfect one to bug him over and over again.
“Another Death After Noon please, Master Diluc!” The aforementioned brother slurred, waving his empty glass at the redheaded bartender.
Diluc shook his head, placing the glass he had been polishing away before pulling out a champagne style glass, and quickly mixing up the cocktail. He made them so often it was almost second nature, to rim the glass and add a little garnish before passing it over. He wasn’t so renown in his bartending skills for nothing, that was for sure. He grew up on this, and death after noon happened to be a drink he made quite regularly. How Kaeya’s liver could keep up with the alcohol content in this drink he didn’t know, but he was obliged to serve.
The rimmed glass was placed onto the counter before Kaeya, none too gently either, as he added yet another drink to his tab.
Bar work could be exhausting. Talking to people, cleaning, making drinks- while it was fun sometimes, it was tiring. And dealing with drunks was the worst part. Diluc was used to it however, having shadowed his father in the days before his death. The work made him feel as though he was carrying on his legacy, a comforting thought.
Something his ‘brother’ could never understand.
“Say Diluc, you’re awfully quiet tonight!” Kaeya chirped, tilting his half-full glass towards the redhead.
“Just drink, Kaeya. I have no interest in conversation.” He sighed, flicking the towel over his shoulder.
Truthfully, he wished he could talk to Kaeya. But the immense guilt he felt as he did so was too much to stomach, the idea of talking to the man after he had committed such a heinous act all those years ago was too much to handle. He wished he could feel differently, but it was simply the way things were. They were estranged, and nothing about that would change.
The eyepatch was his fault.
Diluc shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts, just as the out-of-breath bard came to the bar.
“One dandelion wine please, Master Diluc! Did you like my performance today~?” Venti giggled, his bright, almost glowing eyes flicking to the bartender.
As Diluc poured the wine he scoffed, shaking his head.
“Do you really think I would enjoy your toneless songs?” He spoke, piercing red eyes flicking up towards Venti for a moment.
“Come now, Master Diluc, need you be so harsh? I put on my best performance for your customers!” He giggled, playing with the end of the plait in his hair. Venti grabbed the dandelion wine after it had been poured, quickly bringing it to his lips with a wink directed towards the tired bartender.
“That’s your last one unless you pay your tab, bard.” Diluc sighed as Venti skipped away, looking towards the clock. Only just over an hour left, he would kick the patrons out at two in the morning. Then he might be able to get just a little… sleep.
Childe was exhausted. He had been walking for hours at this point, and he could just about see the peaks of the windmills in Mondstat’s city shining under the moonlight.
It was a clear night, something the harbinger was grateful for. He had stayed outside in many storms and unfortunate conditions, but a clear night sky always made travelling easier. And he loved watching the stars, looking at the way they twinkled. Back when he was a kid, he would sit outside with his younger siblings- pointing out the different constellations and listening to their awe-filled whispers, as if conversing in anything above a whisper would break the constellation.
He stopped for a moment beside a large tree, sitting back against it to rest. He was very close now, but his legs were aching and heavy, his breath coming out in short pants. This tree was nice, he decided. A soft breeze fluttered through his hair, and the area was lit up slightly by Barbatos’ Statue of the Seven before him.
After a short rest, he decided to continue on.
Hiking his satchel up his shoulder, he approached the long bridge leading to the city, taking his time to walk along it. The lake surrounding the city looked beautiful in the moonlight, rather still other than the occasional soft ripples sparkling in the moonlight.
He bowed his head slightly in greeting as he passed the guards on duty outside the gates, stopping as he entered the city. He was finally here. Though now he had arrived he was unsure what to do with himself.
After deciding to take a right, he followed the path- and the sound of cheerful yells from what appeared to be a small tavern.
‘Angel’s Share’, the sign above the door read.
Well, a nice drink after a long journey was always welcome!
Childe pushed the door open, a waft of warm air hitting him as he did so. The smell of alcohol and sweaty bodies, the warm atmosphere- it reminded him of the pubs back home, and he loved it already. A soft smile spread across his cheeks as he approached the bar, taking the only spare stool beside a blue haired man with an eyepatch, dressed in rather extravagant furs.
That looked like something his Tsaritsa would enjoy wearing.
A thud sounded as the satchel he had been carrying was shoved to his feet, elbows resting on the bar and cradling his head.
“Hey, bartender! One of your strongest, please.” He spoke, his accent thick with tiredness. He could feel eyes on him as soon as he spoke, but he was too exhausted to even bother paying attention. It was quite the trek from Liyue Harbour to Monstat.
A glass was placed in front of him none too gently, a gloved hand held out in waiting.
“That’s 1,500 mora.” A deep, soft voice spoke above him. Childe reached into his pocket to retrieve the amount, before hesitating.
He knew that voice.
His head immediately whipped up as he pulled out his coin pouch, jaw dropping open slightly.
He never thought he would see this man again. His firey red hair, those bright, calculating eyes. But here he was, right in front of his face.
All that time ago, when he left him. He didn’t even give him a moment to explain. When Childe betrayed the trust the other so reluctantly gave him. When Diluc and Childe were.. friends.
“It’s.. you?! I-.. I haven’t seen you in years, Red. I mi-.. Ahem, how have you been?” Childe asked, dropping the correct amount of mora into the outstretched palm.
Diluc’s eyes flicked over his features, almost seeming to assess him before he spoke.
“I don’t associate with Fatui. You must have me mistaken.” Diluc scowled, but the slight hesitation before he spoke gave Childe all the answers he could need.
“Oh? Master Diluc, you know this handsome stranger? And why did you never care to introduce us?” The blue haired man beside him spoke, voice slightly slurred, “I’m Kaeya, and what might your name be?”
“A pleasure to meet you Kaeya, I go by Childe!” He spoke cheerfully, taking a sip of his drink. Not as strong as the firewater he was used to, but it would do.
Conversation with Kaeya was easy. He was good at making it flow, and keeping the topics diverse. Though it did feel like he was searching for something, an answer maybe.
Diluc’s eyes narrowed as he heard Childe’s name, brows furrowing slightly.
Ah, so he knew it was a codename. He did introduce himself differently all those years ago, he supposed.
Diluc seemed to be constantly watching, observing. Between Kaeya’s probing questions and Diluc’s constant glares, not to mention that odd little green guy who came over for a few minutes, Childe felt rather cornered, and pressured. But it was also a much more welcome and relaxed atmosphere than Liyue.
Here he was actually free.
Ding, ding.
Diluc rang the bell above the bar back, signalling that it was time for everyone to leave. They quickly began to do so, finishing up their drinks and saying their goodbyes to their friends. Within thirty minutes, the tavern was completely empty.
As Diluc started to tidy up the bar, his mind drifted back to Ajax. Tartaglia. Childe. Whatever he wanted to be referred to as.
Why was he in Mondstat? Not to mention how exhausted the man looked. It made him curious, yet weary. He assumed his.. nightly activities, would be rather busy in the future.